Forging Excalibur 9 of 52
by Echowarrior
Summary: Another Core Weapon is restored as Vector Prime comes to Earth and the war continues to escalate.
1. Chapter 1

Forging Excalibur

A Transformers: Armada Story

By William Rendfeld

"I honestly don't see the problem," Starscream stated. "We require reinforcements, immediately."

"That isn't something to ask for lightly," the familiar voice of Bludgeon replied. "Our forces are few, if any. While I understand that the Earth campaign is important, we should be concentrating our forces and taking strength here. Our agents are ready to take political power, and once we are recognized politically, this insane act will end. But we will need all we can get."

"Procuring the Mini-Cons will augment our forces," Starscream replied. "You know this." He activated a small device beneath the communications panel and, when it gave out a light beep, he said, "Besides, you and I both know what will happen if Megatron gets his hands on them."

"Agreed," Bludgeon replied. "Who do you need?"

"Send in those I can trust," Starscream asked. "Thundercracker and Skywarp, if at all possible. I'll also need Mudflap."

"Understood," Bludgeon replied. "There's someone else that I'd prefer be with you; he has much to learn, but I think you'll be an excellent teacher."

Starscream smiled. "Send him over."

* * *

"Are we clear?" Optimus Prime asked.

"Not yet," Smokescreen reported. "You sure he understood what was needed?"

"Positive," Optimus replied. "Starscream isn't stupid."

* * *

Starscream cut off his transmission, then clicked his communicator. "We're ready. Go."

"I hear you," Swindle's voice came back.

* * *

"You think he can do it?" Smokescreen asked. "I mean, no offense to him and all, but..."

"He'll have it down in time," Optimus replied.

* * *

Swindle carefully crawled through one of the _Nemesis_'s access tubes, heading towards a particularly noticeable grouping of circuitry. "Nice chips. Probably'd get some serious Energon for 'em." He took a breath, then said, "If only I had the time," before pulling them.

Suddenly, everything went dark. As Swindle activated his infrared scope, a familiar voice bellowed, "STARSCREAM!"

* * *

"_Nemesis_ long-range sensors down," Smokescreen said. "We're good to go."

"Patch us in," Optimus Prime ordered. He turned to a nearby screen as Jetfire appeared. "How's the reception, Jetfire?"

"More than enough, Optimus," Jetfire replied. "How long have we got?"

"Long enough," Optimus replied. "Status."

"The council's voted its support to send more aid to Earth," Jetfire replied. "Tell me who and what you need, and I'll send them."

"Good, we're going to need them," Optimus replied. "We've been found out; one of the major human governments knows about us, and they want to strike a deal."

"You think we can trust them?" Jetfire asked.

"It's their planet," Optimus replied. "Besides, it's either that or they attack us. I'd rather we have them as allies. Negotiations are forthcoming, but it looks like they'll be providing us with support and resources, including a potential permanent base."

"Which means you'll need tech support, security and an architect," Jetfire replied. "I can have Roadblock, the Wreckers..."

"Negative, not until we've confirmed the agreement," Optimus replied. "I'll be meeting with their leader in a few breems. In the meantime, make certain the central military is aware of the situation and troops are readied."

"Will do," Jetfire replied. "Also, I've got news from Vector Prime. Uploading now."

A small status bar appeared on the screen, and Optimus responded, "Confirmed. We've got another problem, however; the Race Team's been found. The war's escalating."

"Another good reason to get moving," Jetfire replied. "Good luck."

The transmission cut off.

"Power to _Nemesis_ long-range sensors should be restored..." Smokescreen explained.

* * *

"Now," Thrust declared as long-range sensors snapped back online. "Redundancy active."

"Most likely one of those random glitches in the system," Starscream explained. "I'll send Swindle in to take a look in a few cycles."

"Do that," Megatron noted as a beacon lit up on the screen. "What's this?"

"New Mini-Con pod online," Thrust replied. "Peninsula on the North American continent, to the south."

Megatron looked upon the monitor, and ordered, "Scramble all our forces. We have more Mini-Cons to claim." He began to step out of the command chamber, but stopped briefly to say to Starscream, "I assume you were able to call for reinforcements, yes?"

"Yes," Starscream replied. "They are being readied as we speak."

"Excellent," Megatron noted. "That's one thing that's gone right today."

* * *

A light autumn breeze wafted through Diana Masters' hair as she sat, drinking her coffee. "I still don't see why you want me around."

"You've spent more time with them than anyone else," Colonel Franklin replied. "As a result, you're the closest thing we have to an expert on the Cybertronians. Plus, they trust you."

"I'm an archaeologist, not a politician," Diana quickly noted. "I doubt I'll even be that anymore. The instant some lawyer smells a case, he's going to pop right in and tear into it with everything he's got. Even with me quitting, there's still going to be someone out there who thinks it's a good idea."

"You know the truth," Franklin admitted. "I know the truth. Those people I work for who are aware of all the facts are aware of the truth as well. And while there isn't a law that they can't sue you, I doubt anyone has the means, or the reason. Like you've said, you weren't responsible. You've done what you thought was right, that's what matters."

Diana looked down at her cup, and sighed. "But you still want me to stay for a while, to ease the treaty?"

"At least until negotiations are complete," Franklin replied. "It'll only take a few days, a week at most. I'm sure you can hold off moving until then."

"Well, I have to wait for my rent to expire anyway," Diana replied. "It shouldn't be too big a deal."

Franklin's cell phone beeped, and he quickly answered, "Yes? Understood. Make certain the area is clear before they get there." He hung up and explained, "Cape Canaveral's picked up some unusual radio signals from near the main launch pads. They match the signals from the Mini-Con pods."

Diana swallowed the last of her coffee and said, "Never a dull moment."

* * *

"Scans confirm the location of another Mini-Con pod in Florida," Red Alert explained. "About ten miles west from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Base."

"Can you get Colonel Franklin?" Optimus asked.

"Patching in," Smokescreen replied. "We've got him."

"Prime?" Franklin's voice asked. "We've picked up what we think is a Mini-Con pod in Florida, near..."

"Cape Canaveral, yes," Optimus interrupted. "We can confirm it. Chances are good the Decepticons are on their way. If you can, ask the personnel at the base to be on standby."

"We've already begun efforts to protect the civilian population," Franklin replied. "Warning sirens have been sounded, and the locals know where to go. But it'd be wiser if you got there before anything else happened."

"Agreed," Optimus replied. "We're dispatching a team immediately, ETA ten minutes." The call cut off, and Optimus ordered, "Smokescreen, get Scavenger and Blurr. The four of us are on the clock."

* * *

It had been a long time indeed.

Those words flashed through Vector Prime's mind as he considered what had happened. The Mini-Cons were being located. Unicron was moving. What had been long-lost in shadow was slowly coming into the light at last. It had been a long time since the Mini-Cons had walked Cybertron, since Unicron had been a major concern.

Things were changing.

It was time he took action.

* * *

Diana had remained silent as she and Franklin drove towards the _Ark_, hoping to make certain of the situation and perhaps give assistance. As they motored along at a good clip, Franklin asked, "So, what will you do once all this is over?"

"My sister's family lives in Seattle," Diana explained. "Once everything's set here, I'll head there until I can get a place somewhere else."

"You don't sound too happy about it," Franklin noted.

"I'm not," Diana replied. "I love my sister, don't get me wrong. Miranda's a wonderful person, and she's a good mother to her children. I'm just a little nervous about Brian, that's all."

"Brother-in-law?" Franklin asked.

"Yeah," Diana replied. "He's brilliant. Smart. I'll never deny that. And he loves his kids. But he's always on the verge of being a few fries short of a Happy Meal. Not to mention he's a little too attached to wine."

"Sounds like he's real fun at parties," Franklin noted as the _Ark_ came into view.

"Sometimes," Diana noted. "Assuming he doesn't go too overboard."

The car came to a halt, and the _Ark_'s landing ramp descended, allowing it to enter. They exited the car as the landing ramp ascended behind them, and Diana asked, "Why the sudden interest in my personal life?"

"Nothing wrong with knowing a little bit about the people you work with, is there?" Franklin retorted.

* * *

"They're impressive, if you think about it," Starscream mused as he looked upon the Kennedy Space Center from a distance. "They haven't been to their own moon in over thirty stellar cycles. Their current vehicle for exploring space can't even leave their own atmosphere. They're more divided than we Cybertronians could ever fear being in our darkest nightmares. They don't even know who's out there for certain. Yet they still test their boundaries, still aim for the stars."

"Your point?" Swindle asked.

"It's admirable," Starscream replied. "That's all."

Swindle gave his partner in crime a smirk with his optics, then noted, "Watch yourself there, old man. Megatron's not blind."

"Good thing you're here to keep an eye on me then, hm?" Starscream rhetorically asked. He quickly activated his communications unit and declared, "Starscream to Megatron. No Mini-Cons located in this sector; moving on."

"Understood," Megatron curtly replied.

Swindle leapt up and linked with Starscream's arm, and the larger Transformer transformed into vehicle mode and took flight, heading away from the base. As they moved away, a small panel of fake grass flipped up, allowing a tiny Transformer with silver and blue armor to take note of their departure.

"Oh, this is sooo not good," Jetstorm noted before he descended back into his hiding place.

* * *

"Nice place," Scavenger noted as the four Autobots and their Mini-Con entourage arrived. "Good view of the ocean."

"Too bad there's a civilian population nearby," Rollbar noted as he scoped out the terrain. "Not to mention that military base. A 'bot could almost retire here."

"Don't get too familiar with the scenery," Optimus Prime noted. "We need to get in and out before we attract too much attention. Smokescreen, picking anything up?"

"Excess radio waves from the nearby base are causing interference," Smokescreen explained. "Can't pin anything down for about three miles around."

"Looks like we're hoofing it," Sparkplug noted from the ground.

"Agreed," Optimus replied. "All right, Autobots; split up. Blurr and Scavenger will head northwest; Smokescreen and I will stay near the shoreline and head south. Mini-Cons remain close at all times, and keep sensors online. If you see the Decepticons, contact the other team immediately."

The four Autobots transformed into their vehicle modes, their Mini-Con partners linking up with them in the process, and the group split up and moved out.

"Something's on your mind, Optimus," Sparkplug noted.

"Call it an old feeling," Optimus replied. "But I'm sensing something...familiar."

* * *

Red Alert calmly looked towards the two new arrivals and said, "Why am I not surprised to see you?"

"Maybe we're just a little too predictable," Diana noted as she and Franklin entered the large command center.

"Any information available, Red Alert?" Franklin asked.

"Not much," Red Alert explained. "An active Mini-Con signal's online in Florida, near the Kennedy Space Center. We're already reading the Decepticons and Optimus's unit in the area. They're close."

Franklin took a hard look at the monitors, and realized, "You've hacked into the weather satellites."

"Yes, it was somewhat necessary," Red Alert reluctantly admitted. "For reconnaissance purposes."

"Hardly a bad idea," Franklin noted. "Now, how many went?"

"Hot Shot and I are the only Autobots left on the base," Red Alert explained. "The Race Team's remained behind as well, as a safety measure."

"Just being cautious, is all," Hot Shot admitted as he entered the chamber. "I mean, after what they did for me, I'd rather they be safe and secure here than out in the field too."

"Because they form that shield," Franklin realized. "Skyboom, was it?"

"Yes," Red Alert replied. "For numerous reasons, believe me."

"I'd prefer to know," Franklin pressed. "Miss Masters is excellent concerning her records, but they never mentioned the Skyboom Shield."

"Optimus never explained that to me," Diana explained.

Hot Shot looked at Red Alert and noted, "It's not like they shouldn't know, Red."

Red Alert looked at them uneasily, and explained, "The Skyboom Shield is important because it's one of the five Core Weapons; bits of equipment created from three Mini-Cons combined with one another. They were developed to aid in the fight against the Quintessons, during the first Great War. Each is unique in its power, and stronger than any other hand-held armament in any Cybertronian's arsenal. We aren't entirely sure how that happened, either."

"And because you now have the Race Team, the group that makes up Skyboom, the Decepticons will try to get their hands on one of the other weapons," Diana reasoned. "Any in particular?"

"Any one of them could mean disaster for the people of this planet," Red Alert replied. "Which is why it's better that the Mini-Cons who comprise them are safe with us than with the Decepticons, for our safety and yours."

* * *

"You saw them?" Runway asked.

"No doubt," Jetstorm replied. "The Decepticons are here. Megatron included."

The Air Defense Team leader hung his head and said, "This isn't good."

"Not at all," Sonar chipped in.

The three Mini-Cons stood within their underground stronghold, a salvaged smuggler's cove from ages past. Runway paced silently, and noted, "We knew it was a matter of time."

"Absolutely," Jetstorm noted.

"Definitely," Sonar added.

Runway shook his head, and leaned against the far wall. "What do we do?"

A light, ageless voice asked, "May I make a suggestion?"

The three Mini-Cons turned to face the one who spoke, his armor glittering silvery-white even in the low light. Flanking him on both sides were two others; one slight of build, his armor silver, the other large, his armor a deep orange.

"Of course," Runway replied. "Go ahead."

Safeguard took a moment to process his thoughts, then said slowly, "The Decepticons are here; Jetstorm has confirmed this, and he has no reason to lie. If Megatron has indeed come, than we can safely assume that he did not come unchallenged."

"You think Prime's here?" Sonar asked.

"It's a safe assumption," Over-Run noted. "Prime wouldn't let Megatron get away with claiming us as his own again. Especially after what happened the last time."

"Don't remind me," Jetstorm noted bitterly.

"But how are we supposed to find them now?" Rollout asked. "I'm not saying I don't want to find them, but how are we supposed to find them in all this?"

"The old-fashioned way," Safeguard noted. "Keep our optics open. All of us must man the watch posts; they should keep us informed. Should anyone see an Autobot they recognize, Prime especially, we will head for them immediately."

"That's assuming they aren't a Decepticon in disguise or something," Over-Run noted.

"Deception may be part of their name, but it is not their best art," Safeguard noted. "We will find them. Soon."

* * *

"Megatron, this is Thrust," the Decepticon flier reported in. "We've narrowed in on the Mini-Con pod. It's underground; seems some recent human activity has made the ground thin enough to allow the signal to get through."

"Has the Destruction Team begun excavation yet?" Megatron asked through the link.

"Affirmative," Thrust replied. "However, the soil is fairly moist; it may take some time before we're able to dig it out."

"Then snap to it!" Megatron bellowed. "The Autobots already have an advantage over us; I won't allow it to increase! Megatron out!"

Thrust looked at his communicator nervously, then ordered to Cyclonus and their accompanying Mini-Cons, "Keep digging!"

"Blah-blah-blah," Cyclonus complained as he slowly scooped at the earth with his bare hands.

While the other Mini-Cons worked, Dualor silently waited. If they were right, and another team was underneath them, then he may well have what he needed most.

* * *

"We're getting closer; that much I can tell you," Smokescreen noted as he and his commander inched towards the location of the Mini-Con pod. "But with this terrain, we'd be better off on foot."

"Agreed," Optimus Prime noted as he slowed to a halt. He detached from his trailer and allowed Sparkplug to disconnect before he transformed to robot mode. Smokescreen followed suit after Liftor and Refute disconnected from their ports. "Sensors to maximum, 'bots. We don't know what we might find."

A blast from nearby quickly affirmed Prime's statement as Megatron stepped into view and declared, "A very true statement, Prime. You came looking for Mini-Cons, but all you found was the cold embrace of the Pit."

"Don't be so confident, Megatron," Optimus replied as he opened fire with his arm cannons.

Megatron took the comparatively light blows, and yelled into his communicator, "Decepticons, to my position, quickly! The Autobots have arrived!"

As Smokescreen did likewise, calling in support from the other Autobots, a hatch in the ground opened, and Sparkplug was dragged underground. As this event went unnoticed, Megatron opened fire with his main gun, prompting Prime to duck to one side, dodging the attack and readying his own cannon. He opened fire and declared, "We'll see who goes to the Pit today, Megatron!"

* * *

"Prime and Smokescreen are under attack," Scavenger reported. "We're heading for their position now."

"Understood," Red Alert replied from within the _Ark_'s command bay before the transmission cut off. He turned to his allies and noted, "This isn't looking good."

The remaining Autobot-aligned Mini-Cons had gathered within the chamber with Red, Hot Shot, Diana and Franklin, curious over the recent course of events.

"This doesn't look good for anyone," Longarm noted.

"They'll get through it just fine," Dirt Boss chided. "Prime's dealt with worse."

"I'd feel better if they had help," Mirage declared.

"Not an option," Red Alert declared. "And before you can protest, Hot Shot, remember this; we're in a very precarious position at this point. Optimus needs to handle this on his own, before anything else happens."

"But someone's got to help them," Hot Shot pleaded.

The door to the chamber opened, and a voice declared, "Someone shall."

Those gathered turned to the opened door, and aside from the humans, looked on in shock. "By Primus..." Red Alert softly declared.

* * *

Before Sparkplug could cry out in surprise, a familiar voice noted, "Easy, Sparky. You're among friends."

Sparkplug looked to his assailant in surprise, then asked, "Runway?" As the aerial Mini-Con came into clearer view, Sparkplug quickly said, "Don't do that again."

"Sorry, Sparks, didn't want to attract too much attention," Runway noted. "With the 'Cons in the area in everything. What's happened?"

"The 'Bots picked up the signal your pod put out, and we came to find you," Sparkplug explained. "Obviously, Megatron was here first."

"So the Autobots are here," Runway noted. "And Prime?"

"Getting close to having his aft handed to him," Sparkplug noted. "Now if you're done, he could use all the help he can get."

Runway gave a reassuring glance and said, "Slagging right." He activated his communicator and noted, "Runway to unit; Prime's definitely here, and he needs a hand." His communicator clicked off, and Runway assured his comrade, "Count us in."

* * *

"Now this is more like it!" Cyclonus cackled as he flew in towards the battle between the two leaders, Thrust following behind. "Look out, Autobots! You're about to hit the hurricane!"

Far below the two Decepticons, Smokescreen locked onto them with his sensors. As Refute linked up to his left arm, Liftor latched onto Smokescreen's crane arm. He took hold of the crane as a targeting sensor came online in his optics and the crane extended, allowing a long cannon to deploy. "Hit this, Decepti-creeps!" Smokescreen bellowed as he opened fire, sending a cannon blast towards his opponents. The blast barely grazed Thrust's wing and Cyclonus's rotors, but more than served as a warning shot.

"This one has spirit," Thrust noted as he transformed. "Cyclonus, let's give them a real taste, shall we?"

"Oh yeah, let's show 'em!" Cyclonus declared, transforming to robot mode and descending to the ground. "Look out, little Autobot, here I come!"

Cyclonus went into a mad dive and, with Drill Bit spinning madly on his right arm, drew back and prepared to strike. As his arm came forward, Smokescreen caught it with Refute's aid, clamping down on the arm before landing a strong punch to Cyclonus's face. As the large Decepticon reeled back, Thrust opened fire from above, raining laser bursts down from above. Smokescreen took the blasts, covering his face and allowing his heavy armor to absorb the attacks.

"Fall," Thrust ordered. "Fall!"

A missile blasted through the sky, hitting Thrust directly and stopping his attack. As he regained his bearings, a bright flash streaked through the sky distracting him as it neared the site of Megatron and Optimus Prime's firefight.

"Come now, Prime," Megatron bellowed as he continued fire. "Forget this fool's errand; the Mini-Cons are mine! There's nothing you can do!"

"There's everything I can do," Optimus Prime called back, his cannon sending salvo after salvo. "You've never cared for the rights of your fellow Cybertronians, Megatron, but I've never stopped caring. If you want the Mini-Cons, you'll have to take them over my rusted frame."

"So be it!" Megatron cried. "Leader-1, Powerlink!"

The compartment in Megatron's leg opened, and Leader-1 leapt out, shifting his form and linking up with Megatron's cannon to increase its power. His cannon aimed squarely at Optimus, Megatron at last declared, "Farewell, Optimus Prime, and good riddance!"

Suddenly, clouds of dust erupted from behind Optimus, blocking him from Megatron's vision as the clear, loud roar of jet engines fired off. As Megatron blocked his optics in surprise, five blurs raced through the air around him, four lancing off laser bolts as they did so and the last heading into the air.

"Sorry to disappoint," Runway declared.

"But we're fond of Prime here," Sonar noted.

"Far more than we are of you!" Jetstorm cried.

Megatron gave off a cry of rage as he recognized those voices. "You again! You won't escape me, not after last time!" He reached out a hand to grab them, but was held at bay by twin blasts from the dust cloud.

"Not again, Megatron," Optimus declared as the dust cleared, a large twin-barreled gun in one hand, a single-barreled gun in the other. "The Air Defense Team is not yours to control. Not now, not anymore."

With those words, Optimus tossed aside Rollout and Over-Run, leaving them to transform into their robot forms as the Air Defense Team circled back. As Megatron watched in surprise, the three jets moved into formation. Sonar split down the middle, and landed firmly in Prime's right hand. Runway and Jetstorm then connected to one another and, as Jetstorm's nosecone flipped back, the two jets combined with their comrade, and a bright blue light surrounded them, making them look like the blade of a sword.

"The Star Saber," Megatron realized.

"Restored to the one who wielded the blade first," Optimus declared. "Leave now, Megatron. You've lost."

"No," Megatron said in a low voice. "You haven't defeated me!"

With those words, Megatron opened fire. A massive blast rocketed towards Optimus, who stood his ground, waiting for the blow to come. Without hesitation, he placed his blade in position, and took the blow, the blast curling around the blade and Prime himself. When the blast subsided, Prime emerged unscathed.

As Megatron looked upon him in surprise, a voice noted, "The Star Saber is perhaps the most powerful of the five Core Weapons, in the hands of any Cybertronian. But its greatest power is in the hands of the Matrix Bearer." As Megatron turned to the source of the voice, Vector Prime said at last, "This battle is lost, Megatron. Depart, now."

Megatron growled, his face going between both Primes, before he finally declared, "Very well. Until next time, Prime." He faded out of view, and the other Decepticons nearby soon followed.

"Good riddance," Smokescreen noted as his partners disconnected and he slumped to one knee, Scavenger arriving on the scene and helping to support him.

"Vector Prime, thank you," Optimus noted as the Star Saber disassembled itself. "But...why are you here?"

"I came because I was called," Vector Prime replied. "By both the will of Primus, and the voices of old friends."

With those words, Safeguard disconnected himself from his larger partner, transformed, and landed softly on the ground.

"We have much to discuss, Optimus," Vector Prime noted. "But first, we have another concern."

Optimus nodded, then turned to Smokescreen and asked at last, "Are you alright?"

"Beat up, but not too badly," Smokescreen replied. "Only a few loose joints, is all."

Comically contradicting Smokescreen's statement, his right arm fell apart at the elbow.

"Loose joints, hm?" Scavenger asked.

"We're heading home, Autobots," Optimus Prime declared. "Our job is done here."

* * *

"They were right there!" Megatron bellowed as he slammed his hand against the bulkhead. "I practically had the Star Saber in my grasp!" He turned to Starscream and bellowed, "No more playing games, Starscream! We are going to claim every last Mini-Con on the face of that planet, or tear ourselves apart in the attempt! Is that clear!"

"Yes, Megatron," Starscream replied in a neutral voice.

* * *

"How's Smokescreen doing?" Optimus Prime asked.

"He'll recover," Red Alert replied. "A few days rest and recovery, and he'll be back to his old self. Between his heavy armor and Thrust's light weaponry, he didn't suffer much damage. But I'd rather he remain here at the base, for his own sake."

"Understood," Optimus noted. "Keep him in the clear, Red, that's all we ask."

With those words, Optimus exited the medical bay to find Vector Prime awaiting him. "I'm a little surprised that you came all this way, old friend."

"I had a mission ahead of me, one of vital importance," Vector Prime answered. "I assume you have had time to scan the data sent by Jetfire?"

"I have," Optimus replied. "But why hide the Omega Lock on the Mini-Con ship? Why not keep it on Cybertron, hidden away in a place of safety?"

"At the time, it seemed the wisest option," Vector Prime explained. "Unicron's minions would look first upon Cybertron for the keys to his defeat. That's why the other four keys were hidden away from Cybertron, the last two in our hands. At least with us, they are safe."

Optimus gave his mentor a hard look, and noted, "Perhaps. Now's hardly the time to second-guess." The two walked down the corridor, and Optimus asked, "Do you know where it is?"

"Safeguard has informed me that he sealed the Lock upon the Mini-Con ship," Vector Prime noted. "But he knows not where it crashed. Only that it is somewhere here, on Earth."

Prime sighed, and said, "Not much to go on."

"Neither are the locations of the Mini-Con pods," Vector Prime noted. "Yet you seem to be doing well in your search for them."

"For now, at least," Optimus replied. "But I have an ominous feeling within my Spark, Vector Prime. Something terrible is coming. And I'm afraid it may already be here."

"Your fears are far from invalid," Vector Prime replied. "I fear the agents of Unicron are already acting on his behalf, and would not be surprised if one of them is here already. We must be cautious, young one; they have many forms, many guises, and operate best in the shadows."

"So I remember," Optimus noted.

The two continued walking in silence, before Vector Prime noted, "I approve, by the way. Of you seeking allies."

"This is the humans' world, Vector Prime," Optimus replied. "They have every right to know the threat which awaits them from Megatron or Unicron."

"Yes," Vector Prime noted. "But for now, we should inform them only of the immediate threat, especially as they stand the better chance against Megatron than against Unicron."

"Agreed," Optimus Prime noted begrudgingly. "But once Megatron is dealt with, and we are revealed to the public, then we will make certain Earth can defend itself. Better a slim chance than none at all."

"Perhaps," Vector Prime replied. "One can only hope for clear views of what's to come."

* * *

"The Star Saber and the Skyboom Shield, back in Autobot hands," a black Transformer noted from the mountains near the _Ark_. "An escalation of the war. Chaos raging across the cosmos." A malicious twinkle arose in his optics as he noted at last, "Master will be pleased."

The End


	2. Chapter 1 ReEdit

Forging Excalibur

A Transformers: Armada Story

By William Rendfeld

"I honestly don't see the problem. We require reinforcements, immediately."

_:"That isn't something to ask for lightly.":_ Speaking with Starscream all the way from Cybertron was the effective commander of Megatron's forces left on the planet. Feared and respected by the population as the master of Metallikato, Bludgeon was a fearsome warrior despite his unimposing looks, and one whose motives were never entirely clear. _:"Our forces are few, if any. While I understand that the Earth campaign is important, we should be concentrating our efforts and taking strength here.":_

While Starscream had no doubt that the transmission could be picked up by the Autobots on Earth, mostly due to the proximity and lack of interference, he had equally little doubt that it would not be picked up at the other end, due to a high amount of subspace interference around the Cybertronian homeworld. Truthfully, that didn't bother him all that much. "Procuring the Mini-Cons will augment our forces, you know that." His hands moving deftly, he checked his perimeter scanners before activating an anechoicer beneath the communications panel. A light beep reaching his audio receptors, he gave a small smile and continued with a different tone of voice, "Though you and I both know what will happen if Megatron gets his hands on them."

The Decepticon tank smiled back. _:"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to give you some help at your end.":_ While a few among Megatron's forces had suspected Starscream of being a mole, not one suspected that Bludgeon was another. _:"Who do you need?":_

"Send in mechs I can trust, as many as you can spare – Thundercracker and Mudflap at least, and Skywarp if at all possible."

_:"I think I can survive without them.":_ The yellow tank's confident tone was not unwarranted. _:"There's a fourth mech that I'd like to send your way – he needs some straightening out, but I think you're more than up to the task.":_

Starscream smiled. "Send him over."

* * *

The intercepted transmission being monitored through the _Ark_'s communications terminal, Smokescreen leaned back and looked at his commander. "Who do you suppose this fourth mech is?"

"No one Starscream can't handle," Optimus confidently replied. "Is this being recorded?"

"Best definition we can ask for. And the sooner Screamer gets off the wire, we can send it off home." The orange Autobot crane gave a chuckle. "Times like this, I love subterfuge."

* * *

The device shutting off with a second beep, Starscream resumed his former tone. "We'll be expecting reinforcements promptly – space bridge coordinates are being transmitted on a sub-channel. Hail Lord Megatron!" Bludgeon answered in kind before cutting off his transmission, leaving the Seeker to activate his communicator. "Well?"

_:"Went off without a hitch.":_ Swindle's pleased voice answered.

* * *

"Transmission's ended – recording's ready to go." Smokescreen turned to Optimus and asked, "Now, not to question your brilliant plan, but I don't think the frequency we've been using to toss stuff home will be strong enough to carry this recording."

The Autobot leader smiled beneath his faceplate. "It won't. But we won't have to worry about that."

* * *

Nestled in one of the _Nemesis_'s access tubes, Swindle's gaze went from the tampered communications recorders towards a particularly noticeable grouping of circuitry. "Nice chips. Probably'd get some serious Energon for 'em. If only I had the time." He shook his head, and then violently yanked them from their port.

Suddenly, everything went dark. As the red Mini-Con activated his infrared scope, a familiar voice bellowed, "STARSCREAM!"

* * *

"_Nemesis_ long-range sensors down." The Autobot looked to his superior in amazement. "You crafty old soldier, you planned this!"

Neither confirming nor denying it, Optimus simply chucked. "Patch me in." He turned to another monitor as his second-in-command's face appeared. "How's the reception, Jetfire?"

_:"The best we've gotten from Earth in a long time. What's the occasion?": _

"Starscream's called in some support for Megatron. I'm sending you a copy of the transmission now on a sub-channel."

_:"Lucky thing the council voted its support. You tell me who you want over there, and I'll call them up.":_

"I appreciate that, but let's hold off for now." His tone turned serious. "We've been found out – the United States government has discovered our location. The good news is that they want to negotiate, but I don't want to jeopardize that by bringing more of us to Earth. Let me work out an agreement first, and then we'll bring in reinforcements."

The Sub-Commander looked nervous, despite the lack of a conventional face. _:"I'm not questioning that logic, Optimus, but do you think we can trust them?":_

"That remains to be seen, but for now, I want to show that they can trust us. We'll let you know once an agreement's been made. For now, use that information we've given you. I think you can figure things out easily enough."

The shuttle gave a nod. _:"Hey, it'll give Checkpoint and Grimlock something to do at least.":_ He locked optics with his commander. _:"All the same, be careful. And good luck.":_

The transmission cut off, and Smokescreen quickly turned back to the long-range sensors. "Power to _Nemesis_ should be restored…"

* * *

"…now." What systems that had been knocked offline restored to working order, Thrust turned to his leader and gave a small bow. "All systems are once more up and running, my lord."

"We're fortunate that the systems blackout occurred just after I completed my transmission to Cybertron." The Seeker turned to his leader and assured him. "We should expect reinforcements to arrive within the next mega-cycle, Lord Megatron."

"Good. For now, I want all systems checked. I do not wish for this incident to be repeated in the future." Just as he turned to leave the command deck, one of the sensor screens lit up, causing Megatron to pause and examine it. "What's this?"

Thrust quickly checked the monitor. "Another Mini-Con pod has been detected. Its location is on a southern peninsula on one of the northern continents." The tactician gave a small grunt of disapproval. "A human military facility is close by."

Megatron looked upon the monitor, taking notice of the military installation before turning away with a dismissive snort. "At this point, it is of little concern. Scramble all our forces. We have more Mini-Cons to claim."

* * *

A light autumn breeze wafted through Diana Masters' hair as she took a sip from her coffee, trying to absorb what her tablemate had just said. "You want me as part of the negotiations?"

Sitting across from her and dressed in a black suit rather than his Air Force blues, Colonel Michael Franklin had opted for hot chocolate over coffee. While far less conspicuous in business attire, he still carried the presence of someone who should not be messed with. "It only makes sense. You've spent more time with them than anyone else. Effectively, that makes you the closest person we have to an expert on them. Aside from that, they trust you."

"It's not my friends in the auto industry I'm worried about. I'm a teacher, not a negotiator. Well, former teacher," she quickly corrected herself. "I doubt I'll even be able to move on to archaeology at this point, given the mess in Indianapolis." A newspaper on the table reported that one of those injured, a Maxwell Beller, had succumbed to his injuries and died while in medical care. The fact that Maxwell was related to a prominent senator wasn't lost on either of them. "I'll bet the lawyers are already lining up to take a stab at me, especially now that I've quit. Granted, I didn't have a choice, but…"

"Diana, now's not the time to be worried about that." The colonel's voice was firm and reassuring. "You know the truth. I know the truth. Those people I work for, now that they're aware of all the facts, are aware of the truth as well. And while there isn't a law preventing anyone from suing you, I doubt anyone has the means or enough of a reason. No judge in the country would allow a suit against someone unless there was proof of their claims, and you're in no way responsible for what happened that day. With luck, our negotiations will be able to prevent something like it from happening again, and they'll go much more smoothly with your help."

The young woman pensively looked down at her cup, and then nodded. "Who do you expect will be speaking on behalf of your higher-ups?"

"Most likely someone from State, maybe someone from Defense. Given the importance of all this, the big boss himself might want to attend." In truth, the colonel had little idea of who would be speaking on behalf of the US government – while the nation had many excellent diplomats, it was relatively light on ones experienced in dealing with extraterrestrials, as far as he was aware. "Whoever comes, they should only take a few days, a week at most. I'm sure you can hold off moving until then."

Diana gave a small smile. "That's not the problem. I'm not leaving until my rent expires at the end of the month. I'm just hoping that it isn't the VP who'll be negotiating." At the colonel's quirked eyebrow, she elaborated, "What? I have issues with him. I'm entitled."

"I'm not saying you aren't. You just need to…" Franklin's cell phone interrupted him. Glad he was outdoors and had good reception, he answered. "Yes? Understood. Make certain the area is clear before they get there." He hung up, Diana looking at him curiously. "Cape Canaveral's picked up some unusual radio signals from the direction of Merritt Island. They're a match for signals your friends have an interest in."

Diana downed the last of her coffee. "Never a dull moment."

* * *

"Scans confirm the location of another Mini-Con pod in Florida." Screens zoomed in on a portion of the peninsula as Red Alert narrowed down the location. "Location's narrowed to within the confines of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, roughly ten miles northwest from the Kennedy Space Center."

The Autobot leader looked over the map, and took little relief from the pod's location near the sensitive installation. "Smokescreen, can you contact Colonel Franklin?"

A chime sounding off from the communications console, and the Autobot crane gave a chuckle. "Don't need to – he's called us." Glad that they'd given the colonel a small portable communicator when last they'd met, Smokescreen accessed the line. "We were just talking about you, Colonel."

_:"Then I'll assume that you're aware of the signals in Florida.":_ Some small signs of relief were clear in the colonel's voice. _:"I'm on my way to get in contact with forces in the area, but arrangements are already being made to provide support if needed.":_

"We appreciate the support, but with luck, they won't be necessary." His optics briefly glancing back at the map, he added, "However, chances are good the Decepticons are on their way as we speak. If you can, see about evacuating the civilian population."

_:"That won't be hard, given the hurricane drills in the area. Warning sirens are being sounded as we speak, and the locals know where to go. How soon do you expect to arrive in the area?":_

"Ten minutes at most. We'll be in touch." The line cut off as Optimus turned to his subordinates. "Red, you and Hot Shot will stay behind and monitor the situation from here. Smokescreen, get Scavenger and Blurr – the four of us have an escape pod to find."

* * *

Within the Vector Sigma chamber, its guardian's thoughts, despite going from one topic to another, came back to one concern alone – that of the situation on Earth.

Countless vorns had passed since the beginning of his mission, since he had remained on Cybertron to tend to his Creator while his siblings made their escape across the cosmos. In all that time, despite everything that had occurred from the two Great Wars to the Outsider War, he had never left his position. Now, however, it seemed as if he would need to do exactly that.

He laid a hand upon the monitor console, and then looked up towards the golden sphere that was Vector Sigma. All Cybertronians that had lived, or ever will live, would do so thanks to this device. It was a vital part of the whole – were it to fall, all would be lost, and Cybertron would be a dead world. The ancient Prime had full knowledge of his duties, and was not about to forget them. However, another concern filled his thoughts, worry for his two associates, lost with their fellow Mini-Cons ages past. He looked upon the supercomputer, weighing his options.

It took only nano-kliks for him to decide. Vector Sigma would be safe without him for the time being. Now, after so very long, it was time he took action.

* * *

Diana had remained silent as she and Franklin drove towards Portland International, glad that he'd allowed her to accompany him and hoping that she would be able to contribute. As they motored along at a good clip, Franklin asked, "So, what will you do once all this is over?"

The young woman gave a shrug. "My sister's family lives in Seattle. I suppose once negotiations are taken care of, I'll head there until I can get a place somewhere else."

The colonel noticed more than a little reluctance in the woman's voice. "You don't sound too happy about it."

"I'm not," came the firm answer. "I love my sister, don't get me wrong. Miranda's a wonderful person, and she's a good mother to her children. I'm just a little nervous about Brian, that's all."

"Your brother-in-law." The statement was a guess, not a question.

Diana nodded. "He's brilliant. Smart. I'll never deny that. And he loves his kids. But he's rarely there for them, he's a little eager to dip into the wine, and I can't help but feel like he's always on the verge of being a few fries short of a Happy Meal." She sighed. "I'm sorry. You don't need to hear about my issues with my relatives."

The colonel gave a small chuckle as they approached the airport. "Apology unnecessary. We can't pick the people we're related to, especially when it comes to in-laws. The stories I have about my sisters' husbands." The SUV slowed and halted, Franklin flashing his ID to one of the guards before continuing inside.

As the vehicle slowed to a halt near the aircraft, the plane's embarkation ramp opened to allow them access. They exited the car and Diana asked, "Why the sudden interest in my personal life?"

The colonel gave her a friendly look. "Nothing wrong with knowing a little bit about the people you work with, is there?"

* * *

Founded as the Launch Operations Directorate in 1958 under the authorization of Dwight Eisenhower, what would ultimately become the Kennedy Space Center was built on Merritt Island in 1962 in response to the challenge from Eisenhower's successor, John F. Kennedy, to land an American on the surface of Earth's moon by the end of the 1960's. Later called the Launch Operations Center, it received its final name following Kennedy's assassination in 1963. From the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs of the 1960s to the space shuttle, as well as numerous unmanned missions, the facility saw every success, and every failure, in human efforts to expand their awareness of the universe under the US government.

While NASA's early founders did not foresee every incident to take place under their watch, they made an earnest effort towards avoiding the loss of human life wherever possible. Much of the surrounding area, while restricted, was left undeveloped, and was ultimately set aside as a wildlife refuge. This wet, marshy landscape, home to hundreds of species of birds, reptiles, and mammals, now found itself visited by some of the most unexpected of tourists.

"They're impressive, if you think about it." His optics zoomed in as far as they could go, Starscream gave a genuinely impressed smile as he looked upon the Vehicle Assembly Building, wondering what preparations were being made and what equipment was being readied. He could almost imagine the employees' reactions if they ever found out about their extra-terrestrial visitors – probably like fledglings in a confectionary store. "The humans haven't been to their own moon in over thirty stellar cycles. Their current vehicle for exploring space can't even leave their own atmosphere. They're more divided than we Cybertronians could ever fear being in our darkest nightmares. And they don't even know who or what is out there for certain. Several of them have even died in pursuit of the stars. Yet they still test their boundaries, still aim for greatness."

His Mini-Con partner, unwilling to wade through the marshes at the Decepticon's feet and thus perched just behind his head, looked decidedly less impressed. "Your point?"

"I find it admirable, Swindle." Resetting his optics to their default, he turned his head just enough to catch sight of the small Cybertronian. "Why? Do you have a problem with that?"

Had he a mouth, Swindle would have given his partner a smirk. "It's not my problem you should be worried about, old mech. You just watch yourself – Megatron's not blind and there's nothing stopping him from noticing you gawking like this."

The Seeker's answer came with a cheeky grin. "Well, it's a good thing you're here to keep an eye on me then, isn't it?" Returning to the task at hand, he quickly activated his communications unit. "Lord Megatron, I've not located any Mini-Cons in this sector. I will be moving on to the next one shortly."

_:"Understood.": _

Swindle steadied himself for a second before Starscream continued on his way, quietly walking through the marshes and leaving a trail of large, muddied footprints in his wake. As the pair moved away, a small panel of fake grass flipped up, allowing a tiny Transformer with silver and blue armor to take note of their departure.

Despite not needing to say it, the words still slipped from Jetstorm's audio emission module. "Oh, this is sooo not good."

* * *

"Prime wants us to _what_?" To call King Atlas' statement one of disbelief would be making an understatement. "With all due respect, has being on that mudball fried his processor?"

Jetfire knew the instant he watched the recorded transmission that he'd be facing problems from the rest of the command staff. Still, it would be stupid to keep all of them out of the loop entirely – thus, the reason why Atlas, Checkpoint, and key members of the Autobot Security Forces were present. "I'm assuming you have some specific complaints to go with your accusations, Atlas?"

The large Autobot seemed more than eager to start listing them off. "For one thing, we're expected to trust a known traitor?"

"Known infiltrator is more like it." His interruption earning him a glare from his senior officer, Checkpoint quickly countered, "This definitely explains why Starscream joined Megatron's forces in the first place. He was a mole, and not the only one – why else would he be talking so casually with Bludgeon?"

"What kind of spy willingly lets his target remain active this long? Infiltrator or no, he's asking us to let Megatron get more troops over there! Bad enough that five Decepticons are chasing the Mini-Cons, do we really want more?"

"Given that Starscream asked for those Decepticons by name, odds are they're mechs that he trusts. Sending them over can only help him."

The large jet gave a snort of contempt. "And how are we supposed to do that? I suppose we can just take security offline at the Hub and let a quartet of known fugitives march in and beam off wherever they please!"

"That probably wouldn't even be necessary."

"Who asked you…?" Not recognizing the large red, silver and black Autobot that had spoken up, Atlas tilted his head slightly. "Who are you again?"

The Autobot Security Director allowed himself a small smirk. "Quickstrike is my immediate second, and one of the best strategists Cybertron has." He turned to face his larger subordinate. "You were saying?"

Giving no sign of being rattled by Atlas yelling at him, Quickstrike continued in a calm, measured voice. "The Hub is our primary space bridge facility, but it isn't the only one. There are dozens of auxiliary terminals scattered throughout Cybertron. My thinking is that we pick one and make a public announcement about that specific terminal undergoing regular maintenance and testing. Fewer personnel would mean less people nearby."

"And thus Megatron's forces would see a more inviting and convenient target, not to mention an easier installation to hit." Liking the sound of the plan already, Jetfire turned to Checkpoint. "Think we can pull it off?"

"Decide where you want my team to go, clear things with Bumblebee, and we'll be locked and loaded in less than five cycles." Noticing Atlas' sour expression, the black and white Autobot offered the compromise, "We might be letting those four through, but there's nothing stopping us from capturing anyone that happens to be with them."

Atlas gave a small snarl under his breath before he relented with a nod. "Fine. Just make sure this doesn't get botched up, and that we get at least one of 'em." He turned to depart, calling just as the doors to the office opened before him, "I don't want this operation being a total loss."

The doors sliding shut behind his subordinate, Jetfire shook his head before returning to the subject at hand. "Any suggestions for where we run this?"

"Bumblebee will have the best idea about where to position our forces – I'll check with him and see what he recommends." Glancing at the recording, the red helicopter noted, "I'd feel better knowing exactly who this fourth Decepticon is, however. You give me a name and I can find the identity that goes with it, assuming it isn't all that common, but unless I have something to go on, I'm stuck."

Jetfire gave a reassuring chuckle. "No plan is totally foolproof. We'll make do with what we've got."

* * *

One successful orbital jump later, four Autobots and five Mini-Cons found themselves sinking slightly in marsh, a few odd birds and animals fleeing from their presence. Glancing around the area, Scavenger couldn't help but dryly note, "Nice place."

"We're lucky all this is mostly wildlife refuge – between that and the military bases in the area, there won't be much in the way of civilian activity." Not minding the mud and grime too much, Rollbar took a few steps to find more solid ground. "Still, strangest place for some of us to end up. Who wants to bet Astroscope's team landed out here?"

"Whoever is out here, I want to retrieve them with as little trouble as possible." Memories of the incident in Indianapolis were still fresh on the Autobot leader's processor, and he had no desire to repeat those events. "We need to get in and out before we attract too much attention. Smokescreen, can you narrow down the pod's location?"

His sensor dish deployed on one arm, the Autobot utility truck scanned over the landscape before shaking his head. "Sorry Optimus, no luck. Excess radio waves from the nearby bases are causing significant interference – I can't pin anything down for about two kils around."

"Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us," Sparkplug noted from the ground.

His partner nodded. "All right Autobots, split up. Blurr and Scavenger will circle towards the northwest, Smokescreen and I towards the southeast. Mini-Cons remain close at all times, and keep sensors online. If you see the Decepticons, contact the other team immediately."

The four Autobots transformed into their vehicle modes, their Mini-Con partners linking up with them in the process, and the group split up and moved out. In part due to his lack of mobility in the muck and mostly because of a need for expediency, Blurr quickly shifted to his flight mode, but kept slow and close to the ground.

As he and Smokescreen began their search, Optimus began to feel a familiar reading on his sensors – scrambled enough to not allow for a positive match in his memory banks, but clear enough to be familiar. It took everything he had to keep from accelerating and risking getting caught in the muck – whether Rollbar's guess or his own suspicions were correct, whatever Mini-Cons were in the area needed to be found, and quickly.

* * *

Keying in a few odd commands over the communications console, Red Alert calmly looked towards its monitor, the hiss of static greeting him. "Are you still receiving me?"

_:"Audio's coming in loud and clear, Red. We'll have visual in a few seconds.":_ The faces of both Diana and the colonel greeted him shortly thereafter. _:"Nice. And here I was afraid that wouldn't work.":_

"I'll discuss the details of engineering adaptors later." Glad that he'd been able to complete the adapter needed to network the communications device he'd given Franklin and the systems onboard the C-40B, the Autobot medic and scientist hoped that the device would work as well as hoped. "Colonel, our sensors report that Optimus has made a successful orbital bounce onto Merritt Island."

_:"Our satellites are confirming likewise.": _While his face remained neutral, his voice betrayed a small amount of awe. _:"And here I thought transporters were next to impossible.":_

From his seat next to the medic waiting to receive reconnaissance information, Hot Shot gave a small chuckle. "Don't get too impressed, Colonel. Orbital jump technology's problematic enough for us – I don't even want to think about what would happen if we used it with a human."

Deciding against asking for elaboration, the colonel signaled to an unseen technician. _:"We're beaming satellite footage to you now. Based on our estimates, nine larger Cybertronians are in the area – five Decepticons, four Autobots.":_

"I've no doubt Megatron's brought along as many Mini-Cons as possible." Putting that unpleasant thought aside, Red turned to another topic. "How is the evacuation proceeding?"

_:"Smoothly, thankfully. Between hurricane drills and evacuation procedures around the time of shuttle launches, the locals know when to clear out when told.": _Less relief was in the colonel's voice as he added, _:"Be careful, however. If this goes too far, there will be a response from the local military forces. Local Air Force bases are on alert, and I expect Eglin and Tyndall to have their birds ready to fly.":_

The medic expected as much – after all, they'd no doubt do likewise were the situations reversed. "The warning is appreciated, colonel. Here's hoping your men won't be needed out there."

* * *

"You saw them?"

"I saw one of them," Jetstorm clarified to his team leader. "Where one Decepticon is, others can't be far behind. And considering he was talking to Megatron over radio, I figure we've got reason to worry."

The Air Defense Team leader hung his head. While normally talkative, Runway had little to say of their current situation beyond the obvious. "This isn't good."

"Not at all." With sidelong glances from his two teammates, Sonar shrugged. "Just saying."

The three Mini-Cons stood within their underground stronghold, a salvaged smuggler's cove from ages past. They had no idea how it had gotten there, only that their pod's hatch was just strong enough to break through some of the dirt and debris to allow them exit and give them and those they shared the pod with a chance to upload new alternate modes. The silver supersonic jet among them paced silently from one end to another before speaking again. "We knew it was a matter of time."

"Absolutely."

"Definitely."

Runway shook his head, and leaned against the far wall. Just as he'd done many times before when left with few ideas, he looked to his teammates. "What do we do?"

A light, ageless voice asked, "May I make a suggestion?"

The three Mini-Cons turned to face the one who spoke, his armor glittering silvery-white even in the low light generated by makeshift lanterns. Ancient and stately, Safeguard was one of the more well-regarded Mini-Cons, among the first to come online and a long partner to Vector Prime. If anyone was a good source of advice among their number, it was him. Flanking him on both sides were two others; one slight of build, his armor silver, the other larger and colored deep orange.

Runway's stance visibly relaxed. "Of course, go ahead."

Safeguard took a moment to process his thoughts, keeping in mind the information gathered thus far, and then spoke slowly. "The Decepticons are here. Jetstorm has confirmed this, and he has no reason to lie. If Megatron has indeed come, than we can safely assume that he did not come unchallenged."

The ivory Mini-Con's logic prompted a quirked optic ridge from Sonar. "You think Prime's here?"

"It's a safe assumption." Slightly taller and thinner than his fellow Mini-Cons, Over-Run was the second of the Autobot leader's two partners, the younger and more scholarly of the pair in comparison to Sparkplug. While more comfortable processing reports or sifting through data, he was still an able ally to the Autobot leader on the field. "Prime wouldn't let Megatron get away with claiming us as his own again. Especially after what happened the last time."

The memories of the Second War all too clear in his processor, Jetstorm turned away, his optics dimmed somewhat. "Don't remind me."

"But how are we supposed to find them now?" Taller even than Over-Run and bulkier to boot, Rollout among the more dependable and steadfast of Mini-Cons, brave and always willing to lend his support where needed. "I'm not saying I don't want to find them, but how are we going to do that in all this?"

The Mini-Con sage looked to his bulky friend with a kind expression. "The old-fashioned way – we keep our optics open. I suggest we keep station at the watch posts, and maintain radio contact where possible. Should anyone see an Autobot they recognize, Prime especially, we will head for them immediately."

"That's assuming they aren't a Decepticon in disguise or something."

Safeguard nodded, accepting the validity of Over-Run's statement. "Perhaps, but deception was never one of Megatron's best skills. I suspect that his efforts to locate us are far less subtle than any Autobot attempt will be."

* * *

"Lord Megatron, I have good news." Using his jets to hover softly above the ground, Thrust surveyed the area as the other Decepticons went to work. "We've closed in on the Mini-Con pod. It's underground. I suspect recent weather activity may have helped to make the ground thin enough to allow a signal to get through."

_:"Excellent. Has the Destruction Team begun excavation yet?": _

"Affirmative, though the process is slow-going. The soil in this area is fairly moist. It may take some time before we're able to dig the pod out, and even then, there's no guarantee the Mini-Cons will still be inside."

A slight growl was audible through the comm.-link. _:"We will handle things one obstacle at a time! For now, the Autobots already have an advantage over us, and we cannot allow it to worsen! Megatron out!":_

Somewhat glad that he wasn't within his leader's immediate vicinity, Thrust landed upon some dry-looking ground and looked to Cyclonus and their accompanying Mini-Cons. "You heard Megatron's orders. Keep digging!"

"Blah-blah-blah," Cyclonus complained as he slowly scooped at the earth with his bare hands.

While the other Mini-Cons worked, Dualor silently waited. As his experiences with the Mini-Cons aligned with Starscream had shown, he'd need to find allies elsewhere before he could further his efforts. If Thrust was correct, and another team was buried underneath them, then whoever the team was, he may well have the first of several potential allies. With luck, nothing would come along to ruin his chances.

* * *

"We're getting closer, that much I can tell you." His sensors peaked out scanning for the escape pod, Smokescreen inched forward through the muck, his commander following a small ways behind and both slowed considerably by the mud. "No offense Optimus, but with this terrain, I think we'd be better off on foot."

More than a little impatient after having made little progress through the mud, the Autobot leader halted in his tracks. "Agreed." He detached from his trailer and allowed Sparkplug to disconnect before he transformed to robot mode. Smokescreen and his partners followed suit after Liftor and Refute disconnected from their ports. "Sensors to maximum, 'bots. We don't know what we might find."

A blast from nearby quickly affirmed Prime's statement as Megatron stepped into view. "A very true statement, Prime. You came looking for Mini-Cons, but all you found was the cold embrace of the Pit." As Optimus returned fire with his arm-mounted guns and Smokescreen linked back up with Liftor and Refute, the Decepticon leader took little damage and activated his communicator. "Starscream, Demolishor, continue seeking the Mini-Cons! Thrust, Cyclonus, to my position immediately!"

As Smokescreen activated his own communicator in order to call in support from the other Autobots, a hatch in the ground opened, and Sparkplug was dragged inside just as Optimus' trailer assembly unfolded and its weapons came online. Noticing as his partner disappeared but decidedly more concerned with his opponent, the Autobot leader retrieved his ion cannon and continued to return fire. "We'll see who goes to the Pit today, Megatron!"

* * *

Before Sparkplug could cry out in surprise, a familiar voice met his audio receptors. "Easy, Sparky. You're among friends."

The yellow Mini-Con looked to his assailant in surprise, his optics widening in recognition. "Runway?" Surprise was followed by frustration as he shook his head at the supersonic jet. "Don't do that again."

"Sorry, Sparks, didn't want to attract too much attention." Pointing upwards to emphasize, the Air Defense Team leader asked, "That was Optimus up there with you, right?"

"Yeah, and he and Smokescreen are facing off with a Mini-Con boosted Megatron, with more Decepticons on the way." Resetting his sensors to try and find the trap door he'd been pulled through, Sparkplug continued, "Now if we're done catching up, they're gonna need some help out there."

Runway gave a reassuring chuckle. "Say no more." He activated his communicator. "Runway to unit – Prime is confirmed. Regroup at my position." The second Mini-Con looking at him in surprise, he asked, "What, did you think I was the only one down here?"

* * *

Satellite images streaming in, the two Autobots left behind and the various Mini-Cons aligned with them had their optics fixed upon the monitors. While Red Alert's optics kept to his console monitor, Hot Shot's flashed between his own and the medic.

"Whatever you're thinking of doing, don't bother." Before the younger soldier could protest, Red Alert elaborated, "I understand why you want to go in there and assist, Hot Shot, but for the time being, we cannot risk further activity in the area. We need to hold back for now and let Optimus handle things from here. Am I understood?"

His optics darting uncertainly, Hot Shot slouched and relented. "Perfectly."

A small hand found itself upon the Autobot's arm, prompting him to look and find Mirage standing beside it. "You aren't the only one wanting to get out there, kid, believe me. Right now, however, you need to hang back and–"

The blare of a warning siren interrupted the Mini-Con, and was quickly joined by Colonel Franklin's face appearing on a monitor. _:"Red Alert, we've received word from NORAD – an unidentified object has just appeared in Earth's atmosphere over the Midwest.":_

While his Mini-Con partner moved to man the sensor console, the medic quickly asked, "Are you certain it isn't merely a satellite falling out of orbit?"

_:"We have a different system for tracking satellites than we do for aircraft, and they've confirmed it wasn't on their radar. Besides, we're tracking this thing at fifty-thousand feet and holding position. We don't put satellites up _that_ low.":_

Carefully manipulating the much-larger controls, Longarm brought up a glimpse of the unknown object on sensors. "Picking it up now – weather patterns are distorting the sensors slightly, but I've got a clear reading on it." His optics widened slightly. "It's Cybertronian!"

What curiosity the medic had was now replaced with concern as he opened a comm.-line – while there was serious risk in activating a subspace transmission, he figured the situation warranted it. "Unidentified Cybertronian craft, this is DSI-84 CAV _Ark_. Identify and state intent."

The voice at the other end surprised everyone present. _:"DSI-84, my apologies for my sudden arrival. May I be of assistance?":_

* * *

"Now this is more like it!" Cyclonus cackled as he flew in towards the battle between the two leaders, his partner and the Destruction Team linked up and Thrust following behind. "Look out, Autobots! You're about to hit the hurricane!"

Far below the two Decepticons, Smokescreen locked onto them with his sensors as both his Mini-Con partners linked up. Energies flowing into his crane arm and weapons systems coming online, Smokescreen extended the weapon, almost tripling its length and deploying a long range cannon. His crane hook shifted into a hand grip as a targeting scope deployed over his optics, allowing him to lock on to the incoming Cybertronians. "Hit this, Decepti-creeps!" The long cannon fired, collapsing back as its first salvo went flying, the projectile clipping one of Thrust's wings and Cyclonus's rotors.

Transforming as he approached, the Decepticon tactician called out to his subordinate. "We're just within that cannon's minimum effective range – Cyclonus, close in and attack!"

"Don't need to tell me twice!" With a maddened and gleeful cackle, Cyclonus transformed and went into a mad dive towards the Autobot. "Look out, little Autobot, here I come!"

Linked up to the berserker's left arm, Drill Bit spun madly as Cyclonus thrust his arm forward. Swiveling his cannon to one side and spinning in the other direction, Smokescreen caught his attacker, Refute clamping down hard upon the Decepticon's arm, before throwing him to one side. He then retracted his cannon and swiveled it back into position, weaving to one side as Thrust strafed him from above. His heavy armor allowed him to take the relatively light blasts, though they still caused him to stagger back slightly.

Thrust's attack was soon interrupted as a missile streaked through the sky, hitting the Decepticon in his midsection and stopping his attack. The tactician fell to the ground, his systems scrambled and his sensors disabled, preventing him from picking up on whatever had struck him. As he attempted to regain his bearings, Megatron and Optimus Prime continued exchanging weapons fire. "Forget this fool's errand, Prime! The Mini-Cons are mine! There's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Wondering in the back of his processor where Sparkplug had gotten off to, Optimus nonetheless kept up fire, wishing that their position afforded better cover. As he continued firing upon his opponent, Megatron fired his fusion cannon, knocking the Autobot leader to the ground and sending his cannon flying to one side. A smug grin on his face, Megatron declared, "It's over."

The tyrant's declaration proved inaccurate as a missile slammed into one of his bits of shoulder armor. His cannon redeployed and aimed squarely at the Decepticon leader, Smokescreen prepped another salvo. "Stopping you is all we ever do, Megatron! If you want the Mini-Cons, you'll have to take them over our rusted-out chassis!"

Leader-1 linking up with a port on his back, Megatron took aim with his fusion cannon and fired back. "So be it!" The blast tore through the small orange Autobot, demolishing his cannon and sending his Mini-Con partner flying. Turning his attention back to Optimus as the Autobot leader rose to his feet, he sardonically asked, "Now, where were we?"

Suddenly, clouds of dust erupted from behind and around Optimus, blocking him from Megatron's vision as the clear, loud roar of jet engines fired off. Before he could shoot into the smoke to finish his enemy off, he was distracted as five blurs raced through the air around him, four lancing off laser bolts as they did so and the last heading high into the atmosphere.

Runway gave a gallant laugh. "Sorry to disappoint…"

"…but we're fond of Prime here." Sonar finished for his leader.

Glad to let off some long-kept steam, Jetstorm finished triumphantly, "Far more than we are of you!"

Recognition was clear in the Decepticon's optics as he gave off a cruel laugh. "You again! Come to be reclaimed by your true master once more!" He reached out a hand to grab them, but was held at bay by twin shots of weapon fire from the dust cloud.

"They have no master beyond themselves, Megatron!" The dust settling around him, Optimus stood recovered, a long silver gun in one hand and a bulkier orange and black one in the other. "And the power they wield is not taken – it is shared!"

Over-Run and Rollout dropping from his hands and transforming to their robot modes, Optimus watched the Air Defense Team circle back towards him. As Megatron recovered, the three jets moved into formation, their parts shifting in unison – Sonar split and shifted his components, Runway and Jetstorm linking up at their engines as the latter's forward nosecone folded back. The three Mini-Cons combined, a bright blue aura surrounding the two supersonic jets as their combined form flew into the Autobot's waiting hand.

What amusement he had faded as Megatron aimed his fusion cannon upon his rival and fired. "No! You will not rob me of the Star Saber! It is MINE!"

The cannon blast tore through the air directly towards the Autobot leader. In response, Optimus merely repositioned his stance and held tight to the sword with both hands, meeting the salvo with the flat side of the blade. It buckled, but only slightly, and did not break, absorbing the blast and glowing with powerful energies. Optimus was unscathed and swung, sending the wave of energy back at the Decepticon leader.

Megatron was knocked to the ground by the energy wave, skidding to a halt in the mud. He rose to one knee, servos protesting, and gave a frustrated growl. "Very well Prime, the day is yours. I only hope retrieving this second Core Weapon was worth the damage to your subordinate."

The three Decepticons were pulled out of the area, fading from view as Optimus released the sword from his grip. It separated into its component members, the three jets landing softly and Sonar asking, "What did he mean by that? None of us got damaged."

Realizing exactly what his enemy meant, Optimus looked about the field. "Smokescreen? Smokescreen, report!"

"Over here, Optimus!" The Autobot leader, surprised by the voice that answered him back, charged towards it to find his subordinate being tended to. The orange Autobot was conscious and sitting up, his shoulder cannon trashed and numerous dings in his frame, while Vector Prime knelt beside him. "He is damaged, but online."

"Yeah. It'll take more than some fancy fusion cannon to keep me down." Despite his condition, the Autobot gave a small chuckle.

Optimus looked upon Smokescreen with relief, then turned to the ancient Prime as he rose to his feet. "Vector Prime, thank you. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but why are you here?"

"I came because I suspected that I would be needed. I was clearly not entirely incorrect in that assumption." Looking to the Mini-Con now connected to his right arm, the ancient Cybertronian added, "I also came in order to aid a long lost friend." Safeguard then disconnected and landed beside his old partner with a smile.

The scene was interrupted as Scavenger and Blurr arrived, both transforming to robot mode and approaching. "Vector Prime? What… Never mind, I'll ask later." Glancing at Smokescreen, the old bulldozer raised an optic ridge. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing a stint in the CR Chamber can't fix." As he got up to stand, however, Smokescreen collapsed back on the ground. "Slag… Gyro-stabilizers must've been damaged in the battle."

Shaking his head, Blurr offered a hand and helped the older Autobot to his feet, wrapping one arm around him to help him stay standing. Recalling his trailer and shifting it back to its alternate mode, Optimus activated his radio. "Optimus to _Ark_, mission accomplished. We have wounded – request immediate transit."

* * *

His self-repair systems already at work enough to help him stay mobile, Megatron stomped into the _Nemesis_' repair bay, marching towards an empty CR chamber. "They were right there! I practically had the Star Saber in my grasp! This makes two of the Core Weapons in Autobot hands, and another six Mini-Cons in Autobot possession!" He turned to Starscream, trying his best to restrain himself. "No more playing games, Starscream. Once our reinforcements have arrived from Cybertron, we will see to it that the Autobots are disabled, and we are going to claim every last Mini-Con on the face of that planet. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly, Lord Megatron." As the chamber closed around the tyrant, Starscream turned and exited the repair bay. While a small part of him had questioned his choices for reinforcements, he was suddenly glad for his picks – he needed mechs supporting him, not ones who would blindly follow Megatron's orders. Now, of course, it was only a matter of time before they arrived, assuming, of course, everything worked out as planned.

* * *

_:"So far as we've been able to tell, no one's come forward with images from the battle. We have a cover story out about a potential spill of hydrogen tetroxide, but I suspect that will cause more problems than it will solve. How's Smokescreen?":_

"Stable, but it will be a while before he's back in the field." The Autobot leader was glad that the colonel had asked about his subordinate, doubly so for being able to provide no worse news. "Also, I'd like to apologize if our new arrival ended up causing any problems."

_:"Just ask him not to do whatever he did again, and I think we'll be fine. With luck, this won't become a sore point with the negotiations, and once those are complete, we can avoid troubles like that in the future.":_ An airman speaking to him just off-screen, Franklin added, _:"Speaking of, I have confirmation for the meeting – the President and a few key advisors will be arriving on Monday to begin talks. I assume you're available.":_

"And looking forward to it. Until then, Colonel." The transmission cutting off, Optimus turned to his fellow Prime with a look that was a mix of slight amusement and mild admonishment. "Next time, it might be a wise idea to call ahead."

Vector Prime bowed his head briefly in apology. "Had I known I would cause such difficulty, I would have warped into a distant orbit for this planet and gone from there. Still, I doubt that I would be able to find this ship at such a distance."

The ancient Cybertronian looked genuinely regretful, prompting Optimus to gently note, "You and I both know easy solutions are few and far between, old friend. I only hope mine haven't caused more problems than they've solved."

"Agreed, which brings me to another topic. Has Jetfire informed you of what I have told him?"

"About the Omega Lock – it was included in a data exchange last mega-cycle. But why hide it on the _Exodus_? Why not keep it hidden away on Cybertron?"

The ancient shook his head. "At the time, it seemed the wisest option. Where the four Keys are all but invulnerable and my sword and the Matrix damaging in their own right, the Omega Lock is, by itself, vulnerable, and more easily damaged by comparison without a Key inserted. Cybertron, meanwhile, would be the first and most logical place for anyone to seek it. And while we know that it is here on Earth, I doubt anyone else is aware of its location."

Optimus couldn't help but agree – given that they had no idea where the ship had crashed, it could be anywhere on the planet. "Another quest for us then."

The ancient gave an encouraging smile. "You seem to be doing well in your search for the Mini-Cons, Optimus. And should these negotiations prove fruitful, I suspect we will be much further along in both goals."

"One would hope." The Autobot leader rose to his feet. "Though a small part of me wonders if it's right to involve them in this conflict. I realize they're involved whether I like it or not, this being their world, but…"

"But you would rather avoid putting human lives in danger than actively send them into the field alongside your soldiers." At Optimus' silent agreement, Vector patted him on the shoulder consolingly. "Your concerns are far from invalid. Still, you know as well as I that cooperation and coordination will lead towards less casualties than we would have otherwise. And given the dark tidings I fear are on the horizon, I suspect we will need all the allies we can get."

Optimus looked first to the ancient Prime, then to the newsfeeds scrolling on the monitor screens before him. "I only hope that will be enough."

* * *

"The Star Saber and the Skyboom Shield, back in Autobot hands. An escalation of the war. Chaos raging across the cosmos." A malicious twinkle arose in the optics of the observer as he noted at last, "Master will be pleased."

The End


End file.
